The Dallas Cowboys organization and football community are facing additional heartbreak following the revelation that Marshawn Kneeland's girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is pregnant with their first child. This news comes just one week after the second-year defensive lineman died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Team Support for Kneeland's Legacy
During a Wednesday news conference, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the pregnancy and announced the establishment of the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund. The fund aims to provide financial support for Mancera and the couple's unborn baby.
"We want to make sure she's taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives," Schottenheimer stated, emphasizing the organization's commitment to preserving Kneeland's legacy.
Girlfriend's Heartbreaking Tribute
Catalina Mancera broke her silence on the tragedy earlier Wednesday, sharing an emotional tribute on Facebook. "My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you're my everything. I'll love you forever my beautiful angel," she wrote, accompanied by a white heart emoji.
The Cowboys organization has implemented several tributes to honor their late teammate, including helmet decals for the remainder of the season and special T-shirts for upcoming games. The team will hold a moment of silence and video tribute during their November 22 home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Tragic Police Pursuit Details
The circumstances surrounding Kneeland's death began on November 5 at approximately 10:39 p.m. when Frisco police responded to assist the Texas Department of Public Safety in locating a vehicle that had evaded troopers. The vehicle was later found crashed on Dallas Parkway.
According to police statements, Kneeland fled the scene on foot while officers established a perimeter and searched using K-9 units and drones. During the search, officers received critical information that Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations and was armed.
Dispatch audio obtained by TMZ revealed that Mancera had warned authorities about Kneeland's mental state, telling dispatchers that he had texted his family "goodbye" and had a history of mental illness. She expressed fear that "he will end it all."
Kneeland was found at 1:31 a.m. in a porta-potty near a building, deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dispatch audio described "quite a bit of blood coming out" from the structure.
The investigation into Kneeland's death continues, with the official cause of death yet to be released by medical authorities.
